Stefano Grilli was one of pioneering producers of an ambitious Bordeaux blend in Umbria, but the 2001 Rubino is rather rustic compared to some of the better previous versions of the wine, with much saddle leather and game on the nose and some dusty tannins which detract from the suppleness on the palate. The intensity and length are good, the overall balance somewhat less positive. Drink: 2006-2012.Importer: Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

Tightly-knit, with a firm structure in addition to a dense ruby/purple color, the 2000 Rubino (a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot) is an excellent, well-made effort, but it was closed and tight the day I saw it. Even with coaxing, all I could retrieve were scents of cedar, black currants, and vanilla in this medium to full-bodied, structured, muscular red. It needs 1-2 years of cellaring, and should last for 10-12 years.This estate, owned by Stefano Grilli, has consistently performed at high standards over the last five years, largely because the winemaker is Riccardo Cotarella.A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

Seductive is the prodigious 1999 Rubino, a cask-aged, unfined, unfiltered blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot. It exhibits a smoky, chocolatey bouquet with hints of cassis, tobacco, and toasty new oak. With superb definition, moderate tannin, excellent structure, and exceptional concentration as well as overall purity, this full-bodied, blockbuster effort can be drunk now or cellared for 10-12 years. Proprietor Stefano Grilli, along with his winemaker, Riccardo Cotarella, fashioned this spectacular wine, which has been consistently brilliant over recent vintages. A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620